Currently the group controller of FM&T, Huggers has been groomed for the new role since joining the corporation from Microsoft last year.

As director for the department, he takes responsibility for all the corporation's output across the web, mobile, interactive TV and new platforms as well as strategy and management for enterprise and broadcast technologies. He controls an annual budget of around £400m.

Huggers will also be responsible for the performance and development of iPlayer, the BBC's popular broadband TV catch-up service.

"He has shown tremendous commitment championing the iPlayer amongst many other projects. I look forward to him bringing his drive and determination to this new role, helping ensure the BBC is fit for the digital future," the BBC director general, Mark Thompson, said.

Huggers said he would help to ensure the corporation "responds to audience demands in providing exciting and innovative new ways of delivering the BBC's content across a range of media".

A Dutch national, Huggers was at Microsoft for nine years in various business roles before joining the BBC. He also spent just over a year in a business development role at the TV production firm Endemol.

Huggers' ascension to replace Highfield as FM&T director was seen by many staff as inevitable and he was give the role ahead of several long-serving BBC executives.

Following recent strong criticism by the BBC Trust over "insufficiently strong" management in the FM&T division, the BBC is also understood to be recruiting a head of editorial strategy to work alongside Huggers.

Highfield left the corporation at the end of last month to become chief executive of Project Kangaroo, the joint-venture web TV service being developed by BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4.

The Kangaroo project is currently being scrutinised by the Competition Commission.

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